


Symphony of the Night - Helsaween 2020

by Helsanon



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Appearances, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Costumes, Disney, Disney Movies, F/M, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Helsaween (Disney), Helsaween 2020 (Disney), Kingdom of Arendelle (Disney), Kingdom of The Southern Isles (Disney), Movie: Frozen (2013), Party, Post-Frozen (2013)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:47:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27271423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helsanon/pseuds/Helsanon
Summary: Three years after the events of Elsa's coronation, Hans gets an invitation to a Halloween costumed ball. He embarks on a mission for his second chance in getting a royal marriage, but things seem too good to be true...Written for the Helsaween 2020 event.[Elsa, Hans]; Helsa, Iceburns
Relationships: Elsa & Hans (Disney), Elsa/Hans (Disney)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10





	Symphony of the Night - Helsaween 2020

**Helsaween Week 4 – Symphony of the Night**

\- This story happens after Frozen Fever -

' _To His Royal Highness_

_Prince Hans of the Southern Isles'_

The words were written on one side of a luxurious red velvet envelope, while the other had a royal seal stamped in the wax sealing it. The handwriting was exquisite and the envelope had a curious but good aroma. Whoever sent it to the thirteenth prince of the Southern Isles was very rich and not only wanted but deeply desired, his utmost attention. The seal alone caught it; it was the Arendellian royal symbol.

Hans, wearing some comfy clothes while having his breakfast on a sunny day, picked up a letter opener and slowly slipped it under the wax, opening the envelope without damaging it. There was a letter inside it. He opened the silky paper; the same handwriting was on it.

' _Sir,_

 _It is my honored duty to invite_ _Your Highness to the Arendellian Halloween Ball, to occur on October 31st. Your presence would be most welcome to Her Majesty Queen of Arendelle, as also to the Royal Family._

_Your Highness should take note that this will be a costume ball, so it is expected from all the invited to dress accordingly to partake in the festivities. Accommodations in the Royal Palace will be available for everyone invited._

_May this missive reach Your Highness safely._

_Queen Elsa of Arendelle'_

The prince was stunned. He just read a letter from Queen Elsa to him! The same woman that froze her own kingdom and he was the one to rule it while she and her sister, Princess Anna, were absent. He tried to take the throne from Elsa, but failed; he paid for his misdeeds for an entire year, collecting manure at the stables. Now, three years later, he was restored to his old position. His attempts to court princesses from other realms weren't fruitful and this unexpected ball was a perfect opportunity to change his life.

His heart raced. How would Arendelle receive him? Although he worked for some days as Regent there, he was sent away in disgrace. The people now loved the same _creature_ who condemned them to hunger, frostbite, and hypothermia years ago… It was a puzzle for which he couldn't find the final piece. Queen Elsa herself wrote the letter, so perhaps she was letting _it_ go? And what about Anna – the person he told his plans to and cruelly left to die? A bit of remorse flashed in his eyes.

"You idiot! You could've just kissed her. Of course, it wouldn't work… but no one would understand why and I'd have succeeded!" Hans mumbled. One of the castle staff noticed.

"Your Highness… is everything ok?"

"Yes, yes. Just thinking about the past."

"With such a beautiful day out there! Seems to me like a waste of time to think about what _was_ , Your Highness."

Hans looked at the window. It was, indeed, a pretty day. Seagulls squeaked, flying past the castle. He could hear the muffled noises of dockworkers and the smell of the sea entered his nostrils. It was inviting him for an adventure.

"You know what? You're right. And I have a great excuse to look for a better future!" Saying that, the prince stood up and quickly left the dining room, strolling towards his quarters.

He had plenty of time – an entire month before the ball – to find the best costume he could come up with. Talking to Lars, one of his older brothers and the only one nice to him, they tried many ideas; none of them were satisfying. Another brother caught wind of what they were doing and jokingly suggested he go as a masked murderer. The joke was of such bad taste that both Hans and Lars threw a bunch of apples at their mischievous brother, who ran away laughing.

"We're surrounded by idiots!" Hans exclaimed.

"Yes. But let's focus on the task at hand, little brother." Lars replied.

In the end, they've decided on Hans going as a vampire. It was a Halloween party, after all. The best tailor from the Southern Isles was paid to measure and prepare the best costume a royal prince could get his hands on. And the best he made! The final product was an impeccable piece of apparel, making Hans indeed look like a bloodsucker from the old stories.

"This is perfect!" He then mimicked a deep voice while hiding part of his face with the cape. "Tremble before Count Hans, ruler of Sylvania! Mwahaha!"

Lars and the tailor laughed at the impersonation and, after paying the latter, the former decided to have a private dinner with Hans in the castle.

"Tonight, I make a toast to new beginnings, little brother!" Lars raised a glass and lightly patted Hans' back.

"And I toast to it as well!" The younger brother raised his glass in response. They drank their contents at the same time and quickly moved to the foodstuffs.

"Think things through this time, Hans. Second chances like this don't happen to everyone." Lars' warning made Hans stop eating for a moment. He became pensive and looked at his older brother.

"I… You're right. I was too reckless and arrogant. I just need to focus on courting a princess and get out as soon as I can."

"That's the spirit!" Answered Lars, raising a fork with food on it. "No monologues, no killing, no loose ends. Come on, Hans! I've taught you better than that."

"Yes, brother." Hans resumed his eating, now more serious than before. His brother was right; trying to create plans on the fly caused him to collect manure for a year. He had to be smarter and think in the long run. This time, he would succeed.

A couple of days before the ball, Hans embarked on a commercial boat going to Arendelle. He decided to travel incognito to avoid any… _unpleasantness_ between him and anyone he'd meet there. After all, Elsa invited him directly; but, as far as he knew, no one else knew he was coming. What if a passerby saw him unloading his stuff at the docks and decided to thwack him? He even wore a fake beard and glasses to help his disguise. Wearing merchant clothes, he tried to pass as a jewelry trader. His stuff and costume were packed in his travel bag, while a briefcase with some valuable collars and earrings completed the charade.

The trip went without problems and he arrived in Arendelle the next day. Disembarking at the docks, he didn't want to waste time there and moved straight to the palace. The guards, naturally, didn't allow him entrance; he then showed his invitation and was finally allowed to pass. Telling one of the palace staff of his situation, he was led by her to his chambers. It wasn't as decorated or pompous as his own back in the Southern Isles, but it had a seemingly comfy bed, a work desk, wardrobe, windows, and other amenities one would expect from a royal bedroom – including a private bathroom.

Hans removed his disguise and sat on the bed, discovering it was indeed really cozy. He let a heavy sigh leave his lips and fell on the bed, breathing slowly.

' _What am I doing? No one wants me here.'_ He rationalized. _'Was this a mistake? I have yet to court some Italian princesses. Their food is delicious…'_ His train of thought was cut by a knock on his door.

"Yes?"

"Your Highness! May I come in?" The voice wasn't known to him.

"Who's there?"

"I'm Olaf!"

' _Olaf?'_ Hans didn't know anyone named like that. The voice was a bit childish, though; he presumed it was someone from the palace staff and went to the door, opening it. He saw no one there.

"Down here!"

Looking down, Hans finally realized who – better yet, _what_ – was talking to him: a snowman!

"AAAH!" Hans slammed the door, taking a couple of steps back. He knew Arendelle was a strange place, but animated cute snow creatures were a bit too much.

"Hey, mister! That wasn't nice!"

"Yo-you're a snowman! A talking snowman!"

"Yes, and…?" Silence greeted Olaf. He knocked on the door again.

"I'm not going away!" The snowman decided that enough was enough and plucked his carrot from his face, using it to open the door.

As soon as he entered the room, a heavy comforter fell on him and someone tackled poor Olaf to the ground.

"Got you!"

"Let me go!"

"Not until I understand what you are."

"I am a snowman! Elsa created me, years ago. I live here!"

Hans, bewildered by Olaf's statements, released him. The snowman took some time to get rid of the comforter and stared at the prince.

"You are a strange man! Hmm… who are you, again?"

"I am…" The prince wanted to postpone the knowledge of his arrival as long as possible, but now it seemed like a useless effort. "I am Prince Hans of the Southern Isles."

"Ah, so that's you! Elsa asked for you. Come, I'll take you there!"

"Wait, like right now? I'm not even properly dressed to talk to a queen!"

"Oh." The snowman finally took a good look at Hans and, indeed, he wasn't dressed like the other attendees who have already met her. "I'll tell her you've just arrived and needed some time."

"Thank you, erm… Olaf."

With a happy wave, Olaf left Hans.

Hans closed the door, took a bath, and dressed in his finest clothes. Another knock told him it was time.

Opening the door, he was greeted by a lady-in-waiting; she escorted him to the door leading to the throne room. There, he finally saw Elsa - wearing a blue dress looking like the best silk one could buy. Her beauty was something quite unnatural and otherworldly. Hans wondered if her magic became stronger within the years and let her do more stuff. She was talking to an unidentified noble.

A sharp pain came from his left ear; someone was pinching it!

"Well, well, well. If it's not the detestable jerk." There was only one person in the world that had that voice and would talk in such a foul tone to Hans.

"Anna? OW!"

" _Princess_ Anna to you, cur."

He managed to turn his head enough to see her. She had quite an angry expression.

"Could you please let go of me? That's not proper!"

"YOU don't get to tell me what is or what isn't proper! You left me to die!"

"That was three years ago! Can't you let bygones be bygones?"

"I thought I could, but looking at your face made everything come back to me."

"Well, she's to blame!" Hans waved his arm towards Elsa. "She invited me here."

Anna finally let go of Hans's ear. He felt it with his hands, trying to reduce the pain.

"I know. I tried to dissuade her from such a phenomenally bizarre idea, but she was adamant you had to be here." Anna now talked like a normal royal, as if her anger subsided enough.

"I'm also puzzled by the invitation. I didn't think I'd ever set foot here again."

"Neither did I, but here we are." Anna looked at him from head to toe. "It seems your punishment wasn't that arduous."

Hans' eyes went wide. "Wasn't that… arduous? I had to collect horseshit for AN ENTIRE YEAR!" His patience was running thin and Anna knew she bit more than she could chew.

"I'll see you around, _Prince_ Hans. Unfortunately." She then quickly left the corridor.

The prince recomposed himself. His left ear was still hurting. He dreaded meeting Anna, but things could've been much worse than that.

A signet tolled and Hans knew it was his cue. Taking a long breath, he entered the room.

The queen's happy expression rapidly soured when she laid her eyes on Hans. Kai, her trusted advisor, shook his head in disapproval when he saw him, but followed through his part nonetheless.

"May I present Your Highness Prince Hans of the Southern Isles."

Some gasps could be heard from the assortment of nobles in the room. It confirmed his suspicions that only those from Arendelle knew he was coming. He gulped while bowing to Elsa.

"Welcome to Arendelle, Your Highness." Her voice was as cold as the winter she created in the past. He could barely notice any emotion coming from it. "I am happy that you accepted the invitation and I look forward to meeting you at the ball tomorrow."

Hans had to muster all his strength of mind and life experience to not blurt something inappropriate.

"It's an honor to be invited by the Queen of Arendelle. I look forward to meeting Your Majesty at the ball tomorrow."

"I'm glad to see you still have manners." Soft laughter erupted from the gathering. Hans' eyebrows flinched at the feeling of being mocked.

"Your Majesty. If I am to be a subject of entertainment for your guests, I believe my stay will be a very short one."

Those words instantly quieted everyone in the room. He tried to soften his words as much as he could, but it was clear he had a defiant tone. Elsa produced a smirk.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. I didn't want to cause any kind of discomfort; you're a guest like all the others." She then called one of the ladies-in-waiting and spoke something inaudible to her; the latter left soon after. "I've asked my staff to provide our best wine to you, as an apology."

Hans was surprised. That woman acted way differently from the Elsa he knew. She was more mature… more regal. A true queen. He couldn't help but feel ashamed by ever doing anything against her before.

"I am the one who must apologize, Your Majesty." He bowed again. "I spoke out of my place and position. I just wished…" He went silent. _'I just wished I was treated well.',_ his mind completed. He then felt a soft hand touch both his shoulders. Lifting his head, Elsa was now face-to-face with him, smiling. She turned him to the others, holding his left shoulder.

"I want Arendelle to move on. The past is in the past! We have a brighter future ahead of us and all I've invited are people who were part of my life – and people I want to be in my life from now on. Please, enjoy the festivities and everything the palace and Arendelle can offer!"

The crowd cheered at the speech. Hans was speechless; the Elsa he once interacted with would never say or do things like that. She looked at him and made a concerned face. She reached his red ear and coated it with a thin layer of ice – which quickly made the pain go away.

"Queen Elsa! What did you do?"

"I just noticed your left ear was too red."

"An… Princess Anna stumbled on me in the way and she pinched it."

Elsa lost a bit of her composure and laughed. Another behavior he never saw her doing before.

"Anyway, thank you for… the ice. Your sister is stronger than she looks."

Elsa gave him a sarcastic visage. "You should know that already. She punched you."

Hans' face flushed. "Yeah, I remember."

Kai came to the queen and told her she still had many other meetings, so she left Hans after saying goodbye to him.

During the rest of the afternoon, Hans made small talk with many of the guests. Elsa's speech immediately made him more popular and very few of them avoided him. Even some beautiful princesses spent time with him – however, instead of taking a stroll with one or two, he stuck to the room and abstained from going too fast with any of the girls. _No stupid moves._

In the evening, he decided to rest a bit in his bedroom. There, he found a bottle of Arendellian wine, as promised by Elsa. He opened it, poured some in a glass, and sipped it. It wasn't as good as other wines he had in his life, but it wasn't bad at all. Feeling a bit adventurous, he grabbed the bottle, the glass, and left.

Exploring the palace and talking to the staff, he found an exit and reached the streets. It was a bit chilly, so very few people were outside. Hans, warmed by the beverage, wasn't bothered by the weather at all and strolled towards the fountains. No water flowed through it at that time, so it was dry. Hans put the bottle and the glass there. He sipped a bit more of the wine while he admired the palace. It was beautiful, full of lights and details. He then noticed the Halloween-Esque decorations; they were more funny than terrifying – he guessed the girls were in charge of doing that and their inexperience showed.

"They are too nice to do this the way it should be." He told himself.

"Who is too nice?" A gruff voice said.

Hans jumped, startled. Behind him was a blond man, dressed in heavy-duty clothing. A reindeer was at his side. Both were chomping at carrots.

"Uh, no one. I was thinking too loud."

"I see. Hey, you shouldn't stay out here with those thin clothes. You might get a cold."

"Pfft. I've been through so much in my life. A cold would be nothing." Hans sipped more wine and rested the glass on his hand. The newcomer looked at him, confused.

"Well, suit yourself. But you've been warned."

Hans didn't answer the man. He noticed the latter going to the palace and entering it with the reindeer.

"Perhaps it wasn't so bad I didn't get to rule Arendelle. They even let a literal animal enter the palace nowadays! What a backwater place."

Hans reached for the bottle to pour more wine, but his hands didn't connect with it. Looking back, he saw Elsa holding it.

"A backwater, huh?" She used her magic to envelop the bottle in ice and then put it back where it was.

"Good luck trying to pry it open, oh Hans of the Southern Isles." She left, walking so suggestively his eyes couldn't cease looking at her hips. That _definitely_ wasn't Elsa.

' _What is that woman doing to me?'_

The next morning, Hans woke up with a terrible hangover and a bit feverish. When the palace staff came to tell him about the breakfast, they had to call the royal doctor to oversee him. After some procedures, the man advised the prince to rest. Perfect! Right on the day of the ball, he would have to stay in bed. Some fruits and water were left by the palace staff on a tray near the bed.

' _There goes my plans. Another failure for Hans Westergaard.'_ He was disappointed with himself; the preparations were done in advance and nothing could've stopped him… but himself. One more story to make him the butt of Southern Isles' jokes. Should he even go back? Why not leave for another realm and start over?

His delirious musings were interrupted when Olaf entered his room. The snowman had a strange bottle in his hand.

"Good morning, Your Highness! Here, have this."

"Uhhh… Olaf, right? What's that?"

"It's something Elsa prepared a few minutes ago when she learned of your situation."

"Since when does she know how to prepare medicine?"

"You've been away for a long time! She's a very different person now."

"I've noticed." Hans was suspicious of the liquid Olaf was pouring in a cup, but Elsa and Anna had incredibly good hearts and wouldn't poison anyone. He slowly drank the entire concoction and returned the cup to Olaf. The beverage had a nice taste, although it left a metallic aftertaste in his mouth.

"Tell her I'm thankful for her care."

"Certainly! Goodbye!" Olaf said before leaving the room.

After a few minutes, Hans started to feel better little by little. The medicine was working! His day was saved!

When he felt good enough to move, he left the bed and changed into his noble social clothes. It was almost lunchtime and he went to the dining hall, where enormous tables for all the guests were filled with plates, cutlery, and decorations.

The palace staff guided everyone to their marked positions; the coveted chairs near Elsa's and Anna's places were subject to much envy. Curiously, Hans was placed a few chairs from them – entirely in their view. The Royal Sisters entered the room with Olaf and a familiar man. Hans squinted his eyes and recognized him as the gruff person he met the day before. Now, he was dressed like a noble and even had his hair combed.

' _Looks like he's another individual entirely.'_

Elsa sat at the head of the table, with Anna at her right and the blond man at her left, across Anna. After a quick prayer, they were allowed to eat and much food was served. Hans could barely breathe after so many courses, appetizers, desserts, and drinks. Stuffed, he excused himself and returned to his chambers to rest. He took a post-lunch nap and was awakened hours later by a noise coming from the door.

"Your Highness?"

It was Elsa's voice. Hans jumped from the bed and hurried to the door, opening it. He was greeted by her smiling face, with closed eyes and holding a basket. She was wearing a happy green dress with flower themes.

"Your Majesty! What do I owe the pleasure…?"

"I thought about having a picnic with you. What do you say?"

Hans felt quite weird. Why would the Queen invite _him_ , among so many guests, for a picnic?

"Erm… Queen Elsa, I'm flattered but, certainly, you have more prestigious guests to accompany you?"

"Most of them only want to talk about trade deals or trying to set me up with one of their sons. I'm more interested in knowing what happened to you these past years."

"There's nothing much to tell, really." Hans rubbed his auburn hair and dodged Elsa's eyes.

"Still, it's better than listening to the same old topics over and over. Here, I've made some sandwiches." She lifted the cloth covering the foodstuffs and some sandwiches were there, alongside a bottle of wine and two glasses.

"I…" Hans tried to come up with an excuse, but her pleading eyes were too much. "I humbly accept your invitation, Your Majesty."

"Please, Prince Hans. You can call me Queen Elsa. Or just Elsa, but not near Anna!" She tried to hold a small laugh.

She guided him to the outskirts of the town, where a small park near the forest already had some people having their picnics. Hans noticed Elsa chose the path where most people would notice them together but concluded it was just a coincidence.

There, the queen unrolled the checkered fabric and started putting the food over it. Hans helped her by opening the wine bottle and serving them both. Elsa sat with her legs tucked to the side as she leaned on her left arm and picked up a sandwich; Hans mimicked her. They both ate and began chatting about their lives during the last three years. The platinum blonde teased Hans a lot during his penance's tale but frowned sadly at the verbal abuse he suffered under his brothers. It seemed that what he told Anna was true, after all. On her part, telling all the news from Arendelle didn't create much change in Hans' face; deep down, he was a bit envious of their happiness. He finally discovered the gruff man's name – Kristoff – and that he was now engaged to Anna.

"Well, looks like she found her true love." The green-eyed man spoke, looking at the horizon. He could see the coast gently meeting the sea, with little kids building sandcastles. To the left, the docks with some ships and workers; to the right, an endless forest… and Elsa. She looked at him with a smile on her face.

"Yes. I'm happy for her. Kristoff is a good and caring man. I know she'll be in good hands whenever I'm out traveling or dealing with state matters."

"May I ask something… personal?"

"You may. I may also not answer." She said, sipping some wine.

"After three years, haven't you met anyone suitable enough to be at your side?"

Elsa took some time to respond. She gazed at the sea, trying to find a suitable explanation.

"One or two, of many suitors. But, in the end, they lacked something… something I cannot explain. They showered me with gifts and compliments but, in the end, we didn't _click_ and they found their destinies elsewhere."

Hans sipped from his wine, curious.

"Funny how things are. You have an enormous list of people interested in you, but none caught your heart. I, on the other hand, tried my luck with so many princesses –and none opened her heart to me. Perhaps we're destined to be by ourselves."

She looked at him; he could see she wasn't delighted at the prospect.

"Forgive me, Queen Elsa. I didn't mean to displease you."

"Prince Hans." She sighed, slowly blinking. She was searching for some inner strength of will. "I think I now know what they lacked." She looked straight at him, almost clenching her teeth. "They said what I wanted to hear. I already have lots of people in my life doing that."

"I presume you're looking for someone to tell you what you _need_ to hear? That you're not a perfect queen and will commit mistakes here and there?" Hans felt he was winning over her. It would be pretty ironic getting the queen he set out to get a long time ago.

Elsa could see the confidence building upon Hans' face. His roguish smile and cunning face.

"You presume too much, Prince Westergaard." She sipped more wine.

"As you wish, Queen Elsa." He then made a bold move, plucking a fresh violet from the ground and putting it over her left ear.

"Hans!"

"Purple suits you."

The queen blushed, looking away. "It's already late. We have to prepare for the ball."

He put the rest of their snacks inside the basket, rolled up the cloth, and gave the basket to Elsa, also offering his right elbow. She picked up the basket with her right hand and put her left on his arm, letting him guide both back to the castle.

After escorting the queen to her door, Hans went to his chambers and, after a good bath, dressed in his vampire costume. It was made to look like an imposing dark lord, powerful but mysterious. It had a long cape and a tall collar. A fake denture made of softwood complemented the costume. Now fully dressed, the prince went to the ballroom and joined the ongoing party.

And what a party it was! People from all around the world, wearing absurd attires, strange fashion, curious garbs, and funny apparel. In one swoop, Hans saw nurses, sailors, teachers, stonemasons, singers, painters, jesters, waiters, burghers, and other common folks. There were also monsters: mummies, other vampires, skeletons, ghouls, werewolves, ghosts, and many others. His costume, however, brought the attention no matter where he went. He enjoyed doing some roleplay with other nobles and, at least for that night, what he did and what he was weren't important – just his character.

After an hour, music began. The musicians were local artists and they played some sinister versions of fairy tales and children's stories, but with a dancing tone. Pairs quickly were made on the spot and Hans got a girl dressed as a ballerina for a partner. They talked while dancing, but her conversation quickly bored him; she was an aristocrat from a minor nation that was in deep debt. Also, she talked mostly about herself and didn't produce any different topics. When he finally saw Elsa, he sent the girl to another noble passing by and moved to the real deal.

"Good evening, _mademoiselle_. May I have the honor of this dance?" He bowed.

"Of course, _monsieur_." She made a curtsy.

Leading the dance, Hans was almost overwhelmed by Elsa's perfume. It was captivating. Her costume was also of a vampire and similar to Hans'.

"Our looks complement each other's, vampire queen."

"Indeed, they do, vampire lord."

He felt his perfume also worked its way on Elsa, as she stared at him during the entire dance. And she didn't let go of him for many more songs. They danced and danced like there were only them at the ball and no one else. The crowd stopped what it was doing and were entranced by the two embraced creatures, moving like they were one person.

When Hans thought that would go forever – not that he was complaining – Elsa broke contact and took his hand.

"Let me show you something." He didn't resist her lead.

The queen took the prince to the royal gardens. It was a beautiful place, with plants of many sizes and colors. A bench near the river was Elsa's destination; she sat there and asked Hans to do the same.

"I remember coming here with An-" He cut his line short. Bringing up what he did wasn't the best course of action and he gulped.

"What?"

"Nothing, Elsa. It's the wine talking."

Elsa smiled at the stupid excuse. "You can speak your mind, Hans. There are only us here."

"In this case, I have a question: why are you being so nice to me? Surely, I don't deserve all this attention and care? Olaf told me you even want as far as to make medicine for me!"

Elsa's smile became even wider and her eyes were glittering with joy.

"So, you drank it? Did it work?"

"Yes! It was fantastic! Where did you learn that?"

"It's a secret." She blinked at him.

"Well, thanks anyway. I'm glad for that, or I'd be bedridden at this very moment."

Elsa moved closer to him. He could feel the side of her body pushing against his.

"Queen Elsa, this is…"

"Too close? Are you afraid of me, Prince?"

"Not at all. It's just unexpected."

She rested her head on his right shoulder and took his right hand with both of hers. Hans was uneasy with such intimacy from Elsa.

"Hans… since your departure, things went so well for Arendelle. I and Anna got closer, she is engaged to Kristoff, Olaf reads so many books and knows so much stuff, we have good trade partners and I've managed to control my magic."

"It seems your rulership was a good one."

"Anna is the best sister one could ask for. She does everything I ask of her and her counsel has been most valuable to me."

"You're lucky in that department, Elsa. I'd trade almost all of my brothers for Anna in a heartbeat."

"And yet… I'm so alone. I don't have what Anna has. You know what I speak of, don't you?"

"I think so. You wish for a partner."

"Yes. Of everyone I've met, you were the only one to really _get_ me, Hans. You always made me stop doing anything dangerous I came up with. How did you do it?"

"It's a secret." He blinked at her.

"I believe… you're the only one I can see at my side, Hans. The other suitors, as I've told you, lack your drive and expertise."

"Elsa, are you saying what am I thinking you're saying?" Hans looked at her with a serious expression. The one he saw on Elsa's face was one of longing as if she desired him.

She didn't answer him. Standing up, she pulled him up to embrace her.

"Elsa!"

"Hans." A finger on his lips quieted him. "I want to know if you'd like to be my Prince Consort. To be the person I'd trust with my life. To have my heart on his hands and not hurt it. To feel my touch day and night. To partake in my state matters and act as my ambassador to distant lands. To be one of the faces of the new Arendelle… _forever_."

The prince was astonished. He never thought, even in his wildest dreams, that Elsa herself would propose to him like that. He came here planning to get engaged to a well-off princess… but now he was scoring the queen!

Something inside him said that was too funky, like an alarm setting off. His will battled with itself, trying to understand the reason Elsa would ever say such things to him. However, a bit of his old persona still lived within him and pounced at the opportunity, strangling his rational persona. The offer was too good to pass up.

"I believe any other answer than _yes_ would be the greatest mistake of my life, _my_ queen."

"Finally."

The usually tender visage of Elsa became a twisted one and her normally ice-blue eyes became blood red. Hans was horrified at it, but it was too late and she was too fast. She kissed his neck and he felt icy protrusions piercing his skin. The pain was swiftly gone when her tongue went back and forth, wiping out the blood leaking from the holes. The sensation was exhilarating and he almost fell back, losing control of his legs. Elsa somehow had the strength to hold him in place and kept 'kissing', while caressing his face with her other hand. When she was satisfied, she moved her head back to look at him.

"You are ready to be mine, Prince Hans. All you have to do is drink from this." She used a small dagger to cut her arm and fill a glass with her blood. "Drink. The ritual will be complete and you'll have eternity to enjoy my companionship."

The auburn-haired man tried to fight against the proposition. His mind felt like shattered glass, broken in so many pieces after discovering that Elsa was a _real_ vampire. She faked being nice to him this entire time – her real intent was to have him as a minion of hers. He was about to replace the tyranny from his father and brothers for the tyranny of a bloodsucker queen.

But one thing Elsa said was correct: he knew more about Elsa than she knew about him and he was a master manipulator. He was played this time but, in no way, she'd have the winning hand. Going against his own advice, he concocted a long-term plan to make _her_ his minion. And that would be possible only if he went on with the entire ritual – he was smart enough to understand Elsa couldn't let him leave the gardens alive if he said 'no'.

"As you wish." Hans kneeled before Elsa and grabbed the glass, drinking the ferrous liquid. Elsa observed him with an evil grin and laughed, as her plans reached completion. He felt that a bond was created between his psyche and Elsa's, while his body felt much stronger, faster, and powerful than before. But his own will fought against her utter dominance of his mind.

"What now, my queen?"

"Rise, my knight. You are now Lord Hans, Blackguard of Arendelle. Come, we have much to discuss."

Hans rose and followed her. He knew his mind would need to fight tooth and nail everyday to avoid falling into the darkness and becoming something as horrible as Elsa.

He had to.


End file.
